Saturday, March 1, 2014

SEASIDE HERB SOCIETY

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”I Peter 4:1

Recently, I had the opportunity to do a couple presentations for the Seaside Herb Society which meets in Ormond Beach, FL – one on Soup Herbs and one on Fairy Gardens.

This is a great time to introduce this organization whose mission is to gather in the spirit of friendship and cooperation to learn more about herbs and to use this knowledge to educate and benefit others.

They meet at Bailey Riverbridge Meeting House, 1 North Beach Street, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 on the 3rd Saturday from September through May and feature a different herb each month.They also hold two annual events: November Plant Sale and Spring Herb Faire which is coming up later this month:

Directions:Follow Granada Blvd (Rt. 40) to the NE corner of N Beach and Granada Blvd - on the NW side of the Granada bridge

SOUP HERBSTheir “herb of the month” in January was tarragon, which is one of my favorite soup herbs, especially essential with poultry.Here is some additional info on its use in soups:

TARRAGON

a flavor that mixes a licorice/anise type of taste with that of a peppery flavor

used in place of salt for people on salt-restricted diets

Blends well with parsley, basil, thyme, chives and chervil

Use tarragon sparingly, since its flavor is strong and can dominate or overshadow other flavors and when using tarragon, it is best to add it at the end, as heat tends to decrease its flavor.

Essential for chicken soup

You can see information on herbs that are great for soup on this earlier post: All About Soup Herbs.

Here are the products I brought to share during my presentation with the group:

SOUP WREATH4 -12” herb sprigs (Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram, Chives)2-3 accent herbs/flowers (Bay Leaf, Parsley & Sage)RaffiaThe completed wreath should be about 4-5” in diameter – the perfect size for a pot of soup.Gather herbs and use rosemary to bend into a 4” loop twisting ends around each other.Add additional herbs (thyme & marjoram) overlapping the ends of each one until the wreath looks full.Keep in mind wreath will shrink as it dries. Add chives spiraling like a ribbon to secure and give a finished look.Tuck in a small bunch of accent herbs.Tie on raffia with instructions for use or a favorite recipe.NOTE: May be used fresh or dried.Dry in a dark, dry place before attaching ribbon & instructions.

BOUQUET GARNI Classic fresh bouquet garni is thyme, parsley and bay leaf, but you can also make a dried version:

1tsp parsley1/2tsp rosemary1/2tsp thyme 1/2tsp oregano1 bay leafTo make a bouquet garni from dried herbs, combine in a muslin bag, piece of cheesecloth or doubled gauze.Great to add to a small stockpot of soup or to create a broth.

BASIC VEGETABLE BROTH1 onion, chopped1 carrot, chopped2 stalks celery, chopped1 potato, chopped into large chunks3 cloves whole garlic8 cups water1 fresh bouquet garni/dried bouquet garni bagdash salt and pepperPlace all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour. Strain out the vegetables and remove the bouquet garni/bag. This broth can be used as a base for soups, gravies and more.

FRIENDSHIP SOUP1c rice (strength)1/2c barley (prosperity)1/2tsp marjoram (joy & happiness), rosemary (remembrance), savory (good interest), mint (wisdom), sage (long life) and thyme (bravery)2 bay leaves (victory)Package in a wide mouth quart jar by first adding the rice, then the bay leaves and herbs around the edge and last the barley to fill the jar.Attach a label with the meaning of each of the herbs and the following instructions:Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, stir in the above, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 mins. or until all water is absorbed.Meanwhile, sauté a chopped red & green pepper and onion in butter until semi-soft.Add 1c half & half & 1 1/2 c vegetable or chicken broth and blend well.When rice mixture is cooked, remove bay leaves, add broth mixture and simmer on low heat 20 mins., stirring occasionally.Serve hot.

FAIRY GARDENS

Their “herb of the month” in February was thyme, which is a favorite of the fairies, in fact thyme will help you see the fairies!That’s why I bring the following Fairy Thyme Rounds and Fairy Thyme Tea to spark everyone's imagination before my presentation on fairy gardens:

FAIRIE THYME TEA1Tbs thyme1Tbs calendula 1Tbs chamomile flowers 1Tbs spearmint1Tbs sage1Tbs marjoram1Tbs lemongrass Mix all together and store in a cool, dry place that is not in the sun. To use, take one teaspoon of the mixture per cup, add boiling water, and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain tea and sweeten with honey as desired. Serve hot or cold.

Since spring is hopefully just around the corner, I demonstrated accessories for a new fairy garden called “Spring Fling.” It included the following herbs planted in a painted wood box:

Violets (Viola spp) – Blossoms used for fairy love & sleep potionsThyme (Thymus vulgaris) – Faeries favorite plant because of its color, fragrance and habit of growth.Used as a place to build their houses, as resting place, for dancing and as a soft green bed for fairy babiesMosses – Fairies love round mossy areas, especially woodland faeries

The accessories included a fence made of plant tags, a winter tree, a bench, a set of bunnies, miniature pots and of course a couple fairies!

FAIRY TRIVIA

A setting to attract the wee folk may include ponds, & gazing balls since they love looking at their reflections

Shiny stones like marble and agate attract fairies

Faeries like to be recognized as part of the garden with statues

“The bottom of the garden” (semi-wild areas) is their favorite spot to live

Yellow butterflies are messengers from fairies

To find fairies follow your cat – they have fairy sight and are jealous of fairies

The favorite food of fairies is the strawberry

The favorite color of fairies is green.

For more information and examples, see this earlier post onFairy Gardens.

Favorite Sources for Tea, Herbs and Gourmet Garden Products

Publications

Several free publications are available on tea, herbs and gardens which include recipes and instructions plus lots of information

The Herbal Gourmet

Joyce Harris, also known as The Herbal Gourmet, is a certified tea specialist with a love of everything herbal that God has provided in our world. My desire is to share the knowledge and experience on the use of herbs, including tea, obtained as a former herb nursery and gourmet tea & herb shop owner to bless others and inspire them to pass on the blessings.